Have a safe Bonfire weekend say Police Scotland

Police in the North East are encouraging everyone to have a safe and enjoyable time over the Bonfire night weekend.

The weekend of Bonfire night is typically one of its busiest weekends of the year for all emergency services, and a great deal of planning goes into the weekend to help ensure the public has a safe and enjoyable time.

Safer Communities Inspector Colin Taylor explains

Operation Fawkes has been running for several years which bring key partners such as Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray councils, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland together to reduce the opportunity of anti-social behaviour and wilful fire-raising incidents around bonfire night.

In Aberdeen, building on the successes of previous years and intelligence led activities, Police Scotland provide information on ‘hot spot’ areas, allowing Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to prioritise their resources.

Through the Aberdeen Community Safety Partnership work collaboratively to ensure key issues are addressed such as an increase in waste collection services at key sites across the city, including flats, schools and multi-storey bin rooms. Aberdeen City Council’s Trading Standards team has visited retailers citywide to ensure compliance with the sale of and safety regulations of fireworks.

Where officers have visited schools across the North East over the last month, inputs have been given to raise awareness about the dangers of fireworks, to explain the challenges emergency services encounter on bonfire night and the potential consequences of setting fires when others may require that fire appliance for a genuine emergency.

Also in the city, Denis Law Streetsport has also committed further resources by providing more free diversionary sports and activities in local communities, to engage young people and divert them away from anti-social behaviour.

We, and our colleagues in Scottish Fire and Rescue, are acutely aware that sometimes antisocial behaviour is directed at fire crews around Bonfire night. This kind of behaviour is completely unacceptable and robust action will be taken to detect offenders. We will be working alongside Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to provide support and resilience in the event of any anti-social behaviour targeted towards them.

Across the north East there will be additional high visibility patrols in key towns to prevent and deter such behaviour.

Organised fireworks displays in Aberdeen, and in towns in Aberdeenshire and Moray will be more spectacular than putting on your own display and crucially safer for you, your family and friends. We want everyone to be able to celebrate the 5th November safely and in a way that doesn’t require the intervention of the emergency services.

I would urge any member of the public who sees someone starting an unauthorised bonfire and any other Anti-Social Behaviour to contact 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously. Together we can help each other stay safe this bonfire night.

Organised firework displays are the safest way to enjoy Bonfire Night, Duff House is the closest organised event to Turriff.